When Sentiment Takes Control
by LostinalittleWonderland
Summary: Post The Reichenbach Fall. Irene wants, no needs to know that Sherlock isn't dead.
1. Chapter 1

Irene looked down at the morning paper in shock, _this couldn't be possible, how could Sherlock __**her Sherlock**__ be dead. Suicide? No this can't be, he wouldn't __**couldn't**__ could he?_ She slipped down the wall next to her front door clinging to the fragile paper within her hands, _this wasn't possible, he couldn't have left her_. The tears started to flow down her cheeks, _this wasn't happening the man she loved __**the only man she had ever loved **__was dead._ Irene quickly scrambled to her feet leaving the now crumbled paper on the floor by her feet, she moved to her phone tears still flowing down her face she quickly typed: **You're not dead! – IA**, she scrolled through the list of contacts on her phone till she reached Sherlock's name and pressed send. She collapsed onto the dark leather chair behind her bringing her legs up to her chest still clinging to her phone willing it to vibrate indicating a message or ring, _he __**had**__ to ring her._ A few moments later her phone buzzed in her hand, jumping Irene quickly unlocked her phone opening the message feeling her whole body fall as the message wasn't what she was hoping to receive, a client wanting to know if she was free. Irene's whole body started to shake with the sobs trying to break free of her small body; her chest began to fill with pain as her heart felt like it was shattering. Irene quickly unlocked her phone again typing in a new message to the same number as before: **Please, Tell me you're not dead – IA**, as she closed her phone again she let the sobs break free, crying out the pain she felt within.

An hour after her last text to Sherlock she heard three sharp knocks on her door, Irene continued to sob on the floor of her living room having slid there with the strength of her crying. The knocks became sharper each time she didn't answer the door, Irene's phone began to vibrate next to her indicating that she had received a text but due to the earlier disappointment Irene decided to ignore the phone and the knocking picking herself up of the cold wooden floor and moving her warn out, broken body to her bedroom. Curling up on her side under the virginal white bedding her tired, reddened eyes began to close of exhaustion took hold, leaving Irene unable to hear as her doors lock clicked and the door opened letting in a tall, shadowed male walked into her home.


	2. Chapter 2

Irene awoke later on that evening feeling worn out and emotionally drained. She stood walking to her en suite deciding a shower may help her feel slightly more human. As she walked she slowly removed each item of clothing she was wearing before turning her shower on to as hot as it would go. Irene began to cry once again, _why had he done it? _ She stayed in the shower for a further ten minutes before stepping out and wrapping herself in a thick woollen white dressing gown before stepping back into her living room to make herself something to eat. She stepped out of her bedroom feeling as if something within her home didn't feel right. She looked around the large open planned living room and kitchen noticing a shape laying quietly in the dark on her sofa. Trying not to panic Irene reached for the pistol she kept hidden in the same draw as her bills and slowly walked towards the figure. As she got closer the shape before her started to become more and more familiar to her, _could it really be? Surely her eyes were deceiving her? This wasn't possible, was it? _

She knelt down close to the figures sleeping form near his face feeling the tears she was sure she had finished shedding earlier begin to fall again. Placing her pistol on the coffee table she never once looked away from the man's face fearing the minute she did this would all have been some sort of sick dream and she would awaken to the empty space before her. Lifting her hand, she gently placed it on the soft skin of his cheek hoping she wouldn't wake him. She just needed to know that this was all real. The man before her started to groggily wake up breathing in deeply then wincing from some form of pain. Irene quickly moved back removing her hand from his cheek, standing and moving to sit on the edge of the wooden coffee table she had earlier placed her pistol upon. She continued to watch him fearing the idea of him disappearing if she didn't.

Sherlock blinked twice looking up at _the _woman sat nervously before him, ringing her hands worriedly watching him with the look of a frightened child. He slowly sat up reaching for her hands, gently holding them within his own. As he looked up he could see even in the darkened room the tiredness in her eyes, he remembered when he walked in that there was a lamp wresting on a wooden table next to the sofa, slowly removing one of his hands he reached out to turn on the light before returning his eyes to Irene. The moment he did he felt guilt fill his body, noticing the red rimmed eyes of the usually strong woman before him. 'I'm sorry' he couldn't manage to say anything else to her, he didn't know what he could say, this wasn't his strong point. He watched as Irene shook her head looking down at the floor between them. 'I understand' he heard her whisper, 'Do you?' he couldn't help but ask 'No not really' he heard a horse slight laugh leave her lips.


	3. Chapter 3

After spending a couple of hours explaining everything to Irene while she sat quietly absorbing the information given to her, asking intelligent and the right questions here and there. Irene now understood completely, she also understood even though Sherlock never said so, that the only reason he was actually here was because she was also 'dead' and he needed someone who understood his predicament and could help him to adjust before taking down Moriarty's network. That was something else she was needed for, she knew enough information to help Sherlock find each and every member if they worked together. By this time her stomach was beginning to grumble in protest of lack of food, she looked down embarrassed as she heard Sherlock's deep gruff laugh. He gently stroked his thumb across the back of her hand trying to get her attention; Irene slowly looked up to meet his eyes a red tint covering her cheeks. He smiled feeling his heart flutter slightly, deciding to think about why that happened later he squeezed her hand telling her to go find something to eat. He felt Irene's hand automatically tighten and the frightened look reappear in her eyes, he couldn't stop the feeling of guilt that re-consumed his body from that one look.

He sighed standing pulling her with him when she refused to let go of his hand, moving them both into the kitchen, as he opened a few of the cupboards he realised that the kitchen was barer than the kitchen in 221B, realising that not much would come from her kitchen or a store at this time of night he reached for her phone looking around for a take away menu.

Irene knew that her actions were uncharacteristic and ridiculous but she couldn't let him go, she was too afraid that the moment she did this would all evaporate before her eyes and he really would be dead. The idea of this she couldn't stand, and while she was holding him she knew that all this was real, Sherlock was alive and he was there, with her. She could see him struggling to look for something but as she opened her mouth to ask him why only a small croak of a voice was emitted, she really needed to get a hold on her emotions; this was going to make Sherlock want to leave. She slowly started to unlock her fingers moving her hands away from his, continuing to look at his face.

Sherlock didn't seem to notice continuing to look around her kitchen for the menu's hoping that he would find something worthwhile for them both to eat. Irene suddenly realised what he was looking for her small voice filled the kitchen as she coughed slightly to clear her throat, 'There in the third draw on the left.' Sherlock turned around to frown at her until he realised what she was meaning. He quickly moved to the draw pulling out a Chinese Take Away Menu and a Italian Pizza Menu, turning to look at her giving her a pointed look which asked _which one_, Irene smiled looking at him before suggesting the Chinese which she had had before. Sherlock dialled the number requesting the food that both he and Irene wanted before placing the phone back in its slot.


End file.
